


In Time, Out of time

by sonicsora



Category: Crash Bandicoot (Video Games)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Everyone is old and grumpy, F/F, F/M, Gen, Humor, Minor Original Character(s), Multi, Older Characters, Romance, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-16
Updated: 2017-07-26
Packaged: 2018-09-08 18:34:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8856388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sonicsora/pseuds/sonicsora
Summary: With decades of peace and Cortex's threat of revenge going unanswered, no one is particularly worried these days. At 50 Coco is equally unworried about Cortex actually living up to his threat, until her scanners pick up on something unusual. Something, or someone is meddling with time time stream and changing history. Coco knows it isn't just a simple mistake and takes matters into her own hands.





	1. Wumpa rinds and time concerns

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, consider this an experiment. I've always been a HUGE fan of the Crash Bandicoot series and wanted to dabble in it. 
> 
> Basic gist: It's been a looonggg time since the Bandicoot's last adventure. Crash and Crunch is pushing 60+, Coco is in her 50's. Most of Cortex's minions are kind of married into the weird mutant population that live around islands. Everyone is kind of settled down to the extreme. There will be many a joke about characters dating each other and kids that happened from that. Kid's will be mentioned pretty off handedly, so don't worry about them taking over. This story is very much about the core characters of the series. Coco, Crash, Tawna, Nina, and Crunch in particular.
> 
> I'll also keep it vague in the timeline just where this story sits. I'll be honest and say most of the Crash Bandicoot games after the original three were... lackluster. I'll be playing around with various elements from the games that I did enjoy and bringing them into the story. Picture all of this happening after Twinsanity if that helps!

Coco sucked on her teeth, ears flicking forward as she let her gaze swept across the front lawn. It wasn’t a disaster, but it wasn’t particularly wonderful either. It was still familiar, homey even with the usual problems. It was a nice contrast to the stark cleanliness of her labs. From polished gleaming metal to the natural scents and sounds of the beach.

Crash was naturally spiraled out on his favorite lawn chair, his old radio within reach. She always offered to replace that radio, but he always turned her down. Even years, nearly decades down the line, Crash still comfortably would turn the old knobs and listen to distant radio stations before he dozed off in his chair. 

Coco used to tease him about becoming an old man set in his ways, but she couldn’t really fault him on it. After everything, she was happy to let her brother relax. He earned some relaxation.

Now he was partially sliding down off of the chair, wumpa rinds cast about haphazardly and his shoes kicked off in two different directions. Coco walked past the old rickety gate that divided The Bandicoot residence from the beach, stepping around wumpa rinds as she moved past her brother. She only paused to brush a hand lightly through his hair, unsurprised to find a smaller rind and handful of seeds smushed in his wild mane. Age had done little to tame his strange red hair or his apparent never ending hunger for wumpas.

“C’mon, big brother. Clean up a little.” She murmured idly in turn, she tossed her finds into the current stack of wumpa rinds he had nearby before continuing her journey towards through their yard.

Crunch for his part was hanging up laundry. Robotic arms gently placing well worn fabric on the line as he carried on a conversation with Aku Aku. He only paused to wave to Coco with a lazy kind of grin. 

She readily waved in return, sharing a smile with the two men as she trudged inside. Sand covered shoes being left by the door as she moved towards the couch. She relaxed onto the old thing for the moment, glad for a momentary break.

The house itself smelled like sea, sand and freshly cut fruit. Coco simply closed her eyes and breathed it in, not caring very much about the possible grease stains she was leaving on the ratty couch. The couch had seen much, much worse in its tenure at the Bandicoot household, a little grease would be the least of its problems. One of these days she'd replace it. She and Crunch threatened to every year after fixing it for so long. She ran a hand across the worn fabric, smiling a little at the worn in spot Crash liked to claim on the couch when it was time to watch TV.

The bandicoot exhaled glancing up finally, stealing a glance at the kitchen as reality settled back over her. She didn't come home to relax.

The familiarity, comfort, and the peace that had settled over them for so long made everything so much worse. Cortex had been gone so long and without him his minions always seemed less than enthused to fight with the Bandicoots. It left a void of quiet for a long enough time no one expected much change. By now most of the villains had settled down, more than a few had grandchildren at this point. Pinstripe was thrilled to be #1 grandpa at every little island league competition.

The thought of more time travel was frustrating. Coco really had not wanted to deal with time travel ever again, yet her island wide system detected some kind of change. She needed to call Nina and see if she had gotten the same alerts. Coco finally forced herself up off of the couch, heading towards the kitchen. 

She could have (maybe should have) made this call in her lab, but home was going to make it easier. Home felt safer. Coco moved to the kitchen counter, leaning across to turn on the old radio that acted as their main 'phone' line. She dialed Nina's number at Castle Cortex, leaning forward as she waited for the two way radio to buzz to life. She knew to stand relatively close to the microphone to be heard clearly. 

"What is it? I'm kinda busy here." Nina, still the same as ever. Far more charming than her uncle, but not exactly the nicest person around. The evil academy had done its work. "This isn't a social call kinda day for me, Coco." 

"It isn't. I picked up some particularly weird readings on my equipment." She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she continued, getting to the point. "My time stream scanners noticed more than a few blips in time. Familiar to Cortex's last attempt to change history. I compared my current readings from the ones N. Brio gave me years ago." His paperwork was a little... ancient by now, but still a good basis for comparison. Coco was glad her little eleven year old self had kept everything in decent order.

The pause that followed made Coco vaguely wonder if she lost connection, until the swearing kicked in. "I seriously hope your scanners are having issues here. Given it's made of coconuts and palm trees it wouldn't surprise me." Even with the sass, Nina did sound at least a little worried. "I have N.Trophy's tuning fork here, hell, I have all his research. My uncle isn't a pushover, but he doesn't really know anything about time travel without N.Trophy. He'd have to break in and get the plans to start this again." 

"The readings weren't small ones, Nina. If they were just blips, I'd have written them off as normal ripples." She tapped her fingers against the countertop. A nervous habit she still needed to break before she broke off a claw. "Check. We can't just pretend we didn't know about this. Even if his threat was idle, we still have to go over it." 

Nina's grumbling at Coco's reasoning was hard to miss, even if it was obvious she was trying to keep it off the line. The bandicoot smiled faintly, wanting to be annoyed by it, but finding herself feeling fond. An old rivalry had turned into an odd friendship. "Fine, fine. I'm going to go over it first. Email me your readings and I'll compare. I'll call N.Trophy to be sure he didn't agree to another time travel scheme." 

"I sent you my full report before I called. So that's done." 

"Ugh, you are such a..." Coco gave a polite cough, silencing Nina briefly. "Thanks. I'll call in an hour. Leave the radio signal on." 

"Thanks, Nina." 

Coco stepped back from the microphone as the call ended, leaving the radio on for now as she drifted through the kitchen grabbing some fruit. She had to admit she was glad Crunch knocked over a tree or two earlier, it meant she could over indulge in fruit for awhile while waiting. Coco kind of just wanted to hope this was a fluke. Some kind of mistake. Even if it meant Nina would give her shit about it every time they saw each other after this. 

Cortex couldn't really be back? Much less with some time travel thing... right?

She simply bit into an apple, trying to focus on food first before making some kind of battle plan.


	2. Confirmation

Coco is picking at the remains of her apple by the time Crunch comes into the kitchen. “There you are! Just the Coot I’m lookin’ for!” The younger mutant turns away from the counter, finding herself smiling at her sort of brother. “Need help with your arm?”

“Yes, but also no-“ He motioned awkwardly back in the direction of their front yard. He dropped his voice considerably, wanting to not be heard over Crash’s radio. “I was thinkin’ of surprisin’ Crash. He’s got the big six zero comin’ up, soooo, we should do somethin’ for him.” 

“Ah.” Somehow this was… so Crunch. Of course he wanted to go wild for a birthday. “What exactly do you have in mind?” She whispered back, curious to see where the dark furred bandicoot was going this time. Last surprise birthday party for a mutual friend had been cowboy themed and vaguely a disaster. 

“I was thinkin’… Diamonds.” He waggled his robotic fingers along with the word almost making Coco snort. “Crunch… It’s Crash. He’d rather you just order a pizza.” The fact they had an actual pizza place now made that a reality the Bandicoots indulged in fairly often. 

“You only turn sixty once, Coco. We can’t just do pizza!” 

“Given its Crash, yes we can.” She dryly offered back, dropping the whisper. “Besides, you only do diamonds for sixtieth wedding anniversaries, Crunch. Not for birthday’s.” 

That much does give Crunch pause. “Oh.” 

“Maybe ask Aku Aku? He’d know some local custom we’re unaware of.” Coco knew she was grasping at straws with that much, but it was better than letting Crunch attempt another cowboy themed birthday in desperation. “We should do something new right? Something you can only do on this island.” 

The idea seemed to blow Crunch away, the muscular bandicoot nodding rapidly. “Good idea! I’ll come back to you with updates!” He offers her a thumbs up before heading out of the door. Coco can only shake her head a little a fond smile curling across her lips. Looks like both of her brothers were dorks. 

The crackle of the radio jerks Coco back to the task at hand. “Coco, you there?” Nina hadn’t kept her waiting. She turns back to the countertop, picking up the microphone, flicking the switch to speak.

“I’m here. What did you find?” 

“Uuugh, I found too much.” Nina’s lack of enthusiasm was hard to miss even with the crackling of the radio transmission. That much made Coco’s lips quirk in amusement even with the seriousness of the topic. “I went over your reports, they match exactly with what I’ve got from N.Trophy. It’s all very similar if not exact.” 

“So we have a rogue time traveler. Maybe someone with N.Trophy’s research?” 

“Looks like it. Any other normal changes to time usually aren’t beat for beat the same.” 

“Think we have enough energy to make a time machine of our own?” 

“We’re going to need a lot of coffee.” Nina sighed, making the transmission crackle. Nina’s voice became somewhat distant as she shouted at someone nearby. “Get me twenty coffee cans, now!” Coco could very, very faintly hear scrambling as one of Nina’s ‘evil’ underlings floundered around to try and fulfill her order. 

Coco gave the distant arguing a moment before replying, “I’ll be at Castle Cortex tonight with my tools.” 

“Don’t keep me waiting, Coco.” That was as much warning as the blonde bandicoot got before the radio transmission ended. She didn’t need much more encouragement to turn the radio off, stepping away from it.


End file.
